In 1906, when Daniel Vázquez Díaz had only been in the French capital for three days, the Catalan painter Ricard Canals introduced him to Picasso in Montmartre. During the time Vázquez Díaz spent in Paris he met with the artist from Malaga frequently. They shared friendships with Canals, the art dealer Ambroise Vollard, and the poet Max Jacob. During one of his visits in 1909, Vázquez Díaz was able to admire his advances in Analytical Cubism. Around 1914 he moved from the neighborhood of Montmartre to Saint-Germain and their encounters became less frequent.

Vázquez Díaz recounted the relationship in an article entitled “Pablo Picasso. Siempre Insaciable en busca de la nueva experiencia” [Pablo Picasso. Always Insatiably in Search of Novel Experiences] published on September 20, 1959 in the newspaper ABC. Although critical of the new path Picasso had taken later in his life (he did not consider his latest works to be sincere or seductive), he recognized his influence and contribution to 20^th century art.

This portrait from 1959 depicts an affable and kind Picasso, at odds with the terribilità attributed to the artist in Spain at the time.